With spring approaching, the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) looked to the future at its state membership meeting last weekend in East Lansing. The party elected new officers and adopted a plan to reach out to voters and groups across the state.

New party chair Chris Silva of East Lansing comments, “I look forward to helping guide the Green Party of Michigan through an exciting period of growth and new activity. I hope to strengthen our ties in the progressive community and forge new relationships within the struggle for a more just, equal, and sustainable future.”

Silva takes the place of long-time chair Fred Vitale of Detroit, who will focus on activism in the metro area as well as editing the party’s new newsletter. Art Myatt of Royal Oak will be the vice-chair, responsible for managing party committees, and will also serve as the party’s clearinghouse co-ordinator.

Paul Homeniuk of East Lansing, Green candidate for governor last year, continues as membership secretary. His Green Growth Plan includes such goals as having 2,000 members, better matching diversity statewide, by next year’s elections.

Two offices with statewide outreach duties will be split geographically. Tom Mair of Traverse City, who took 44% of the vote in his race for a Grand Traverse County Board seat last year, and Rod Reamer of Auburn Hills will share the position of Locals Liaison, helping local Green groups statewide. And Chris Wahmhoff of Kalamazoo and Sherry A. Wells of Ferndale, candidates for US Senate and State Board of Education respectively, will split the task of managing membership meetings across Michigan.

Lou Novak of Detroit stays as treasurer. Doug Campbell of Ferndale will help him with reporting as recordkeeper/secretary. And John Anthony La Pietra of Marshall will continue to recruit and advise candidates as elections co-ordinator.

LuAnne Kozma of Charlevoix moves up to join Linda Cree of Skandia and Jennifer La Pietra of Marshall as GPMI’s female representatives on the GPUS National Committee. Ian Swanson is a new male NC rep, along with Derek Grigsby of Alanson and Campbell. Harley and Rebekah Mikkelson of Caro are father-and-daughter alternates, along with Candace Caveny of Lapeer, Priscilla Dziubek of Detroit, Novak, and Reamer.

GPMI was formed in 1987 to address environmental issues in Michigan politics. Greens are organized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each state Green Party sets its own goals and creates its own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values: